Randy Riley's Really Big Hit

In this retro rhyming tribute to mind over batter, Van Dusen (King Hugos Huge Ego) casts a wide net: anyone whos a fan of nerds, Casey at the Bat, classic science fiction, or mid-century design should find something to like in these eye-popping pages. The bespectacled hero is a kid who adores baseball but cant hit the side of a barn; his real talent lies in astronomy and astrophysics (He studied all the planets./ He memorized their tilt./ He researched how the thrusters/ on the rocket ships were built). When Randy spots a massive fireball hurtling toward Earth, a geeks gotta do what... well, you know: he invents a giant robot that hits a homer that saves the entire world. Van Dusen ramps up the action by having the goofiness unfold in the shiny, candy- colored suburbia of the early 1960s. For young readers, its an opportunity to encounter a strange civilization where coffee tables are kidney-shaped and mothers wear skirts even when theyre not at work; theyll appreciate hitching a ride on Van Dusens time machine. Ages 4 7. Agent: Writers House. (Feb.) Copyright 2011 Publishers Weekly Used with permission.

Rhythmic, rollicking verse tells the tale of a young science geek, whose hapless efforts on the baseball field cause his teammates to hang their heads. Randy just can't help it. Both on and off the diamond, his thoughts turn more instinctively to planets, scientific equations, and robots: ."..something beyond baseball/brought a smile to Randy's face/What Randy Riley really loved/was stuff from outer space!" Spying a giant fireball hurtling toward Earth through his Space Boy telescope one night, the boy frantically warns his parents—only to be sent back to bed. Undeterred, he secretly proceeds to construct a massive, top-secret robot in the backyard shed, which he unveils after the local news finally warns of the fireball's approach. The citizens watch in amazement as Randy guides the gargantuan robot to a deserted old mill, where it cracks off a smokestack and bats the fireball back into space. Randy's engineering talents have clearly saved the day. The crisp cartoon illustrations, rendered in brightly colored gouache, impart a retro small-town world with many expressive and amusing details. Full-bleed spreads delight readers with their varied and exaggerated perspectives, from under the catcher's mitt to bird's-eye views of the town. With all the bases covered—musical text, entertaining artwork, and surefire subject matter—this title bats 1,000 for group or lapsit read-alouds.—Kathleen Finn, St. Francis Xavier School, Winooski, VT

Copyright 2012 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.